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Find a Pro · Colorado Springs, CO

Xeriscape Landscapers in Colorado Springs

5 companies in the Colorado Springs area advertise xeriscape, native-plant, or water-wise landscaping. Before you call one, here is what the local climate asks of a low-water yard, which rebates are open, and the questions that separate a real xeriscape contractor from a rock-and-weed-fabric crew.

Growing conditions in Colorado Springs

  • USDA zone (2023)5b–6a[2]80903: -10 to -5°F extreme min.
  • Annual precipitation16 inches[1]Colorado Springs Municipal Airport
  • Median last frostMay 3[1]32°F, 1991–2020
  • Median first frostOct 8[1]32°F, 1991–2020
  • Frost-free season158 days[1]
  • Station elevation6,180 ft[1]

Higher than Denver at about 6,200 ft, with nearly half of its roughly 16 in. of precipitation arriving July–September as thunderstorms. Sampled ZIPs run from zone 6a downtown to 5b on the north side (80920).

On the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the ZIP codes we sampled in Colorado Springs fall in zones 5b to 6a; 80903 (zone 6a) has an average annual extreme minimum of -10 to -5°F. Choose perennials, shrubs, and trees rated at least to zone 5 if you live in one of the colder ZIPs. The median last spring frost (32°F) at Colorado Springs Municipal Airport is May 3 and the median first fall frost is Oct 8, a typical frost-free season of about 158 days.

Average annual precipitation is 16 inches (Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, 1991–2020), and 47% of it falls July–September in summer thunderstorms. December is the driest month, so new plantings need the most help in late spring before the storms arrive. The average high in July is about 87°F and the average low in January is about 19°F, measured at about 6,180 ft.

Colorado Springs xeriscape pros

Sorted by tier, then alphabetically. Tiers explained below the list.

  • Listed

    A public listing we compiled from the company's own website because it advertises xeriscape or water-wise work. Listed is not an endorsement and we have not reviewed the company's work.

  • Claimed

    The business owner has claimed the profile and manages its details, photos, and service areas.

  • Certified

    The company completed the Xeriscaping.com certification course and agreed to our Code of Conduct.

Before you hire: 8 questions to ask a Colorado Springs xeriscape contractor

  1. Will you wait for rebate pre-approval before touching the lawn?

    No lawn-replacement rebate is open for most Colorado Springs homes right now (see below), but programs reopen. If one does, nearly every program voids the rebate if grass is removed before approval.

  2. Can I see a written plant list with hardiness zones?

    Every plant should be rated to at least zone 5 here. Ask for botanical names, mature size, and water use, and for plant coverage at maturity. Many rebates require 50% or more.

  3. How will you convert the sprinklers?

    Spray heads in a xeriscape waste water and feed weeds. Ask whether planted areas get drip on a separate zone with a filter and pressure regulator, how unused spray heads will be capped, and whether the controller will be reprogrammed or replaced with a smart controller.

  4. What happens to the sod, and how will you prep the soil?

    Ask whether they will cut and haul the sod, smother it, or use herbicide, and what they will add to the soil. Many xeric plants prefer lean soil, so heavy compost everywhere can backfire. Loosening compacted ground after sod removal matters more.

  5. What mulch, how deep, and is there plastic underneath?

    Rock and wood mulch both work, but depth matters: rebate rules in the West commonly call for about 3 inches. Several programs prohibit plastic sheeting, and it starves soil of air and water anyway.

  6. Will I get a first-year watering schedule?

    New xeriscapes are not no-water in year one. Ask for a written establishment schedule by season. Plant container perennials and shrubs after the median last frost (May 3), or in early fall at least six weeks before the median first frost (Oct 8) so roots can settle in before the ground freezes.

  7. Is there a plant warranty, and what voids it?

    Get the length (often one season or one year) and the conditions in writing, including whether it covers winter kill and what watering records you need to keep.

  8. Are you licensed and insured for this work?

    Ask for any city or county license your project needs, a current certificate of insurance, and references from xeriscape jobs at least two years old.

Rebates for Colorado Springs homeowners

Get pre-approval before you remove any grass. Almost every lawn-replacement program requires photos or an inspection of the living lawn first.

Rebate programs serving Colorado Springs, verified September 2026
ProgramAmountStatus
Sustainable Landscape Education Program ($100 Wise Tree and Shrub Coupon)
Colorado Springs Utilities
$100 coupon toward select water-wise trees and shrubs at participating local nurseries
Cap: One coupon per household/water account (5 per customer)
Open
Native Grass Lawn Program for Homeowners
Colorado Springs Utilities
Free high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles (up to $100 value) plus free native grass seed (up to $150 value). This is not a cash rebate.Closed for now
2026 registration is full; expected to reopen in spring 2027.

No lawn-replacement rebate for Colorado Springs homeowners is open as of September 2026. The table shows what exists and when it may return.

Verified Sep 2026 from each agency's program page.

All Colorado rebatesEstimate your water savings

Low-water plants that suit Colorado Springs

From our plant database: hardy to zone 5 and at home in zone 6, driest first. Ask your contractor whether these are in their plan.

See every plant for zone 6

Already listed? Claim your listing.

Sources

  1. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (USW00093037). ncei.noaa.gov
  2. USDA ARS 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map, by ZIP (80903: 6a, 80911: 6a, 80918: 6a, 80920: 5b). planthardiness.ars.usda.gov